The remains of a Reading World War II and Korean War veteran will return home this week, 65 years after he went missing in North Korea.

Army Sgt. Christopher Y. Vars was listed as Missing in Action while fighting in North Korea on Nov. 29, 1950.

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Vars, a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, served during World War II in Burma, Central Burma and China, leaving the service at the end of the war. He reenlisted to serve during the Korean War.

Vars was taken as prisoner of war while in Korea. His remains were found in POW Camp #5, North Korea, along the banks of the Yulu River, but a DNA match was unable to be made until recently.

Vars was the recipient of many awards including the Purple Heart, the POW and MIA Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and several others.

His remains will return to Reading on Wednesday. He will be buried with full military honors on Oct. 6.

The town of Reading will distribute flags at town hall to anyone who wants to participate in Wednesday's 12-1 p.m. homecoming.